High Carbon Steel Hunting Knife with Rosewood Handle and Leather Sheath

A drop point is the shape most hunters reach for when there is an animal to break down. The belly rolls forward far enough to skin cleanly, and the lowered tip opens a cavity without pushing through what you meant to keep. This one is ground from 1095 high carbon steel, dark from the forge on the flats with the edge polished bright. The tang runs full width through a rosewood handle held by two brass pins, and it ships in a hand stitched leather sheath.

Specification

The blade

1095 is a plain high carbon steel and that is the reason we keep forging it. It takes the sharpest edge of anything on our bench, and when that edge finally goes it comes back on a stone in minutes. The trade off is worth knowing first. There is no chromium in it to hold rust off, so the blade will darken with use and it will corrode if you put it away wet or leave it sitting in a damp sheath. The forge finish on the flats carries the early patina well.

The handle

Rosewood is dense and slightly oily under the thumb, which is what you want on a grip that has to stay put when your hands are wet. The color runs deep reddish brown with straight grain along the length, and two brass pins carry through the full tang. With no bolster and no guard the handle stays slim, so you can choke up near the ricasso for close work around a joint. Rosewood grew the way it grew, so grain and depth of color will not match the photographs exactly.

Who it suits

This is a working shape for people who use a knife outdoors and expect to sharpen it themselves. It also suits a buyer looking for a gift for someone who already owns a stone.

• Hunters who field dress their own animals
• Campers and bushcraft users who want a simple carbon steel blade
• Anyone buying for a hunter or an outdoorsman
• Collectors of hand forged American fixed blades

What comes in the box

• The hunting knife
• A fitted leather sheath
• A care card with sharpening and storage notes
• A laser engraving quote on request

Every piece is different

Each blade is forged, ground and finished by hand, so the marks left on the flats sit differently on every one. Rosewood color and grain vary from board to board. Your knife will match the photographs in shape and character rather than copy them.

Looking after it

Wash it by hand and dry it straight away. Never the dishwasher, and never left soaking, since dishwasher damage voids the warranty. Carbon steel wants dry storage and a light coat of oil. Bring the edge back on a whetstone at roughly 20 degrees per side, then strop it. Skip pull through sharpeners. Let the leather dry slowly and away from heat. More on the knife care and sharpening page.

Put a name on it

Laser engraving is 20 dollars per blade and you add it on this page. Around 30 characters fits on a blade, and a longer message sits better on the sheath. Handle and bolster placements are open too. We send a proof image before the laser runs, and engraving adds 3 to 5 business days. Clean line art engraves well, photographs do not. See the engraving page.

Questions buyers ask

Why a drop point? The lowered tip gives you control close to the hide and less chance of nicking what sits underneath.

Will the dark finish wear off the flats? It softens where your hand and the sheath rub it, which is normal on a forged blade.

Is there a guard? No. It is a slim rosewood grip with no bolster and no guard, so keep a dry hand on it.

Will 1095 rust, and how do I stop it? It can, if left wet. Dry it after use and oil the blade before storage and you get patina instead of rust.

Is it full tang? Yes, one piece of steel from tip to butt.

How long until it ships? Most US orders arrive in 5 to 7 business days with USPS, free over 99 dollars. Returns run 30 days, unused and unsharpened.

If this suits you, see the rest of the hunting knives, or the 1095 high carbon range if the steel sold you. The rosewood handle knives use the same grip in other shapes. For a pattern welded blade this size, see the Damascus hunting knife with turquoise and horn, and for a smaller companion there is the bird and trout knife in Damascus and olive wood.